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Chemistry / PFAS / PFOS contamination and the known science
« on: 14/07/2021 09:20:02 »
I'll start off with a TLDR since this is is bound to turn into a longish post.
The main question, from a scientific point of view is: What really is known about PFAS's (Perfluoroalkyl chemicals) effects on the environment and on humans?
The second question comes after the post below, which details why I'm asking.
In June this year (2021) a pollution situation was uncovered in Belgium when samples taken at a very large construction site (the so called "Oosterweelverbinding") showed that PFAS / PFOS content of soil samples massively crossed the norm values. The situation transformed fairly rapidly into full blown scandal when documents emerged showing that the company responsible for the pollution (3M) had know about it for at least 20 years, probably a lot more and that the government contractor for the construction wharf had also known about it since at least 2017.That they had informed our government and... nothing. News and info was buried, they didn't act on any of it.
Deals were made between the contractor and 3M to make it illegal for them to sue 3M on the grounds of pollution on the construction site. They were paid of for a measly 75.000 euro's where the current tally for cleaning up the mess stands at around 60 million.
While trying not to stumble into the trap of strange and elaborate conspiracies... I find myself in the situation where I don't find any of the government's, the government's agencies for the environment, the contractor and the polluter 3M's explanations credible. There is very little actual information coming our way.
News about the situation rarely contains actual measurements, it's always interpretations by (government appointed) "experts" and they quite often blatantly use outdated norm-values when explaining what the samples actually mean. The general director of the 3M factory actually gave an interview on national TV, stating that 3M has been doing research on PFAS for over 20 years and that they haven't found any proof that the chemicals are harmful. Our government seems to do its best to push that concept of "it's all fine" as well. I can't shake the feeling that the director of the polluting company might not be the most neutral individual in this scenario.
This construction project is worth well over 5 billion Euro's, I have a hard time believing that something where that much government money is involved will get a neutral and fair analysis by that same government.
So my second question is if some international scientific attention to the situation and it's many dubious coincidences could be arranged through this vast network of scientists and indeed, our naked scientists themselves. Maybe get the subject of PFAS and other forever chemicals on the podcast or even as a newsworthy item on the BBC world service.
Thank you for reading!
The main question, from a scientific point of view is: What really is known about PFAS's (Perfluoroalkyl chemicals) effects on the environment and on humans?
The second question comes after the post below, which details why I'm asking.
In June this year (2021) a pollution situation was uncovered in Belgium when samples taken at a very large construction site (the so called "Oosterweelverbinding") showed that PFAS / PFOS content of soil samples massively crossed the norm values. The situation transformed fairly rapidly into full blown scandal when documents emerged showing that the company responsible for the pollution (3M) had know about it for at least 20 years, probably a lot more and that the government contractor for the construction wharf had also known about it since at least 2017.That they had informed our government and... nothing. News and info was buried, they didn't act on any of it.
Deals were made between the contractor and 3M to make it illegal for them to sue 3M on the grounds of pollution on the construction site. They were paid of for a measly 75.000 euro's where the current tally for cleaning up the mess stands at around 60 million.
While trying not to stumble into the trap of strange and elaborate conspiracies... I find myself in the situation where I don't find any of the government's, the government's agencies for the environment, the contractor and the polluter 3M's explanations credible. There is very little actual information coming our way.
News about the situation rarely contains actual measurements, it's always interpretations by (government appointed) "experts" and they quite often blatantly use outdated norm-values when explaining what the samples actually mean. The general director of the 3M factory actually gave an interview on national TV, stating that 3M has been doing research on PFAS for over 20 years and that they haven't found any proof that the chemicals are harmful. Our government seems to do its best to push that concept of "it's all fine" as well. I can't shake the feeling that the director of the polluting company might not be the most neutral individual in this scenario.
This construction project is worth well over 5 billion Euro's, I have a hard time believing that something where that much government money is involved will get a neutral and fair analysis by that same government.
So my second question is if some international scientific attention to the situation and it's many dubious coincidences could be arranged through this vast network of scientists and indeed, our naked scientists themselves. Maybe get the subject of PFAS and other forever chemicals on the podcast or even as a newsworthy item on the BBC world service.
Thank you for reading!